Peepshow. A Visual History

Putting this book together has been like putting together a puzzle. There is not much written about peepshows, and what there is, is often not in English. More daunting has been locating information about the various objects and images displayed in this book. Many of them were sold unsigned. Others were removed from folios or books, or cut out from other pieces of work. One way or another, much of the work has been separated from its original source material. Trying to determine the artists, dates, and important collateral information has not been easy but has necessitated learning many ancillary facts, data, and opinions about printing processes, costumes, political satire, prints, periodicals, and books of the time.All the images in this book are taken from my collection. This was not an easy decision because elsewhere I have seen at least as many images that are not included in my collection. This book makes no attempt to catalogue exhaustively all existing images of peepshows. Rather, it tries to present the images in a manner in which they can be appreciated, and the world of the peepshow can be contemplated.The material in this book is generally chronological in arrangement. However, in several places there are images and/or objects from different time periods which, because of their similarities, are grouped together. The amount of information adjacent to each image is limited so as not to interfere with the visual enjoyment of the item. More extensive notes about each item are to be found at the end of the book.This book could not have been completed without a vast amount of help from a variety of people. I have known John Townsend, Bill Barnes, Jean-Philippe Salier, and Ricky Jay for many years, and each has been generous with time, knowledge, and support. I would like to thank Keiichi Yamamoto, a magician and friend who is no longer with us. He shared a great deal with me and expanded my awareness about the peepshow in Japan and China. Many other friends and acquaintances including: Francois Binétruy, Werner Nekes, Denis Ozanne, David Francis, Kerrey Baddeley, Herman Bollaert, Bill Bopp, Allen and Hillary Weiner, X. Theodore Barber, Mike Smith, Ruud Hoffand, and Lester Smith have contributed. In the last year I have also received assistance from many people whom I had not met before. Their help is greatly appreciated. Four of these people are owed a particular debt of gratitude. Each has given generously of his or her time and wealth of knowledge. They are: Anthony Griffiths, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum; Ralph Hyde, Keeper of Prints and Maps at the Guildhall Library; Marjorie Cohn, Curator of Prints at Harvard's Fogg Museum; and Annette Fern, Research Librarian at the Harvard Theatre Arts Collection. I have learned an enormous amount from them and would like to thank them for sharing their expertise with me. (...) [Richard Balzer]